Former Super Eagles attacker Victor Agali claims that the sacking of Gernot Rohr was ill timed and the Amaju Pinnick led administration should be held responsible for making such decision right before the AFCON 2021 and crucial World Cup playoff.
“It was a mistake to sack Rohr before a crucial world cup qualifier and Amaju Pinnick should be held responsible. He is the reason we did not qualify against Ghana,” the former Forward said.
Agali believed that Rohr did more behind the scene for Nigerian players than it was revealed to the general public.
He gave an insight into how the German changed the trajectory of Victor Osimhen’s career.
In a chat with FL, Agali revealed that Gernot identified Osimhen’s need to play regularly for club side to make it into the senior team and prompted him to travel to Wolfsburg to convince the the young Nigerian striker on making a major career move.
The youngster was not a regular on the team sheet for Wolfsburg, hence facilitating his move to Belgium with Charleroi, from Belgium he moved to Lille and then to Napoli and the rest they say is history.
He also revealed that Rohr had contacts with most coaches that coached his Super Eagles players and was constantly in communication with Leicester city boss Brendan Rodgers due to the fact that Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi plays for him.
“To be honest it depends on people talking, I will cite an example when Gernot Rohr came, he told me he saw Osimhen with the youth team and asked for information about him and set a pathway for Osimhen.
“He sent me to Wolfsburg to see Osimhen claiming it’s important for him to start playing regularly for his club.
“I told him (Osimhen) he cannot come into the main team without playing for his club, but he had to go to Charleroi to play because he needed to play regularly. Rohr is the reason Nigeria benefits from Osimhen.
“Rohr had a template for the national team and did a lot underground for the players, he always kept contact with the players club and coaches. For example he called Rodgers for Iheanacho and Ndidi and did the same for other players.”
